Show red light to Reds, PM Modi tells Tripura voters

Three days before the BJP faces the CPI(M) in its bastion of Tripura in a tightly-contested electoral wrestle, PM Narendra Modi held two rallies in the state, urging the gathering of hundreds that came out to listen to him to show a red light to the Reds. The PM addressed voters in two locations in the state — at Shantir Bazaar and then at Astabal Maidan in Agartala.

Accusing the Left of joining hands with the Congress to keep the BJP out, PM Modi said that like a red light at a junction that stops the traffic, the Left, too, has to be stopped. "Tripura will move on the path of progress when the 'Reds' (Left government) are removed from power," PM Modi said in Agartala.

He announced a slew of sops, including implementing the 7th Pay Commission in the state — where people still draw 4th Commission salary, of providing minimum wages, health insurance of Rs 5 lakh to the poor, among others.

Promising of bring 'gantantra' (democracy) to the state, instead of the CPI(M)'s 'gun-tantra', the PM said that over 10 BJP workers have lost their lives in the state, in addition to the two journalists who were killed last year. "Left parties do not believe in democracy. They murdered our 10 karyakartas. It's time to pay homage to brave journalists and karyakartas who have been murdered for political reasons in Tripura," said PM Modi. "Once we form the government here, we will conduct a high-level probe into all the political killings and killings of journalists."

He said that Congress and Left parties are the two faces of same coin, and helping each other to garner votes. "They are only a vote katau party. What is this that they have dosti (friendship) in Delhi but fake a kushti (wrestle) in Tripura," Modi said.

Before he landed in Tripura for the high-powered pit-stops, the PM flew to Itanagar where he inaugurated several projects, including the Dorjee Khandu state convention centre, the Civil Secretariat and the Arunachal Pradesh express, which will ply between Naharlagun and New Delhi twice a week. He also said that he will ask union ministers to hold meetings in the Northeast more often.

"We must go to all states and that is why I came to Shillong for a Northeastern Council meeting and an important meeting related to agriculture was held in Sikkim. After Morarji Desai, all the minister in the Centre forgot about attending the Northeast Council meeting," the PM said.

China, on the other hand, expressed "firm opposition" to PM Modi's visit, and said that it will send strong representations to New Delhi. "China's position on the China-India boundary question is consistent and clear-cut. The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh and is firmly opposed to the Indian leader's visit to the disputed area," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang was quoted by the state-run Xinhua news agency.